Pivotal supporting means



Jan; 7', 1947. J. L. FOUCH PIVOTAL SUPPORTING MEANS Filed April 16, 1945 mmvren JamesLFuc/I BY 641/4404 ATTQPNEY Patented Jan. 7, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

My invention relates to a pivotal supporting means and more particularly to a pivotal supporting means for electrical apparatus. An important object of the invention is to provide simple and novel means to support and hold the apparatus in different adjusted positions.

Another object is to provide a microphone support that may be adjusted to different pivoted positions and upon release held in such positions. A further object of the invention is to provide a simple support for electrical instruments, as microphones, spot lights, and many other devices, in which a minimum of parts compose the structure, in which the assembly provide sub'- stantially a unitary .body in which close interaction of the elements thereof contribute to a ready and easy relative adjustment and in which the movement or adjustment is resisted, whereby a set position is insured against disturbance by accidental or involuntary forces.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple device of this character which is relatively small and compact, and in which a selected axial position may be maintained by simple means that exert a frictional pressure against the pivoting part of the structure, without entering into the integrality of the device, which therefore requires for its accommodation no machining, no fitting and no weakening of structural parts to adapt it to use.

My invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected there-from, economical of manufacture, relatively simple and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully ap-' taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, with the coverremoved.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 F i j Fig. 4: is a face view of a resilient element comprised in the invention.

Fig; 5 is an edge view of said element.

My invention comprises in its generic aspect, a body that may be supported at suitable and convenient height by any desirable means, as a. standard, the body being an integral unit and formed to receive and pivot ahead to which the electrical or other instrument is adapted to be.

connected in any approved manner so that movement of said instrument includes movement of the head, which is frictionally associated with said body whereby said instrument will be held in a selected position of adjustment.

In a more specific sense and referring more in detail to the drawing, the invention is shown as comprising a head 8, provided with a longitudinal, vertica1 slot 9, defined by spaced side walls 50, and spaced end walls II and H, that interiorly are curved, the wall ll extending throughout the depth of the head 8 and terminating in a projection or nose l2, for purposes presently appearing, and the wall ll being tapered and being of less depth than said head, also for a purpose hereinafter set out.

The interior of the side of the longitudinal walls l0 intermediate their extent is provided with opposed l and alined, inwardly directed grooves 13, that are roundin at the bottom and form substantially semi-circular bearing seats M. The said head 8, as described, is associated with a body member 15 that may be provided centrally or substantially centrally thereof with a trunnion ll that may be secured to said body l5 by a threaded means, as a screw Hi. It will be obvious, however, that this trunnion may composean integral partof the body l5, thereby eliminating the connecting screw l8. This trunnion l1 extends into the grooves l3 and seats on the opposed bearing surfaces l4 formed in the bottom of the grooves in the head 8, which is thereby operable pivotally.

Between the ends of the trunnion I1 and the walls of the grooves l3 are interposed perforated dished disks or spring washers 30 for exerting wise, is the pivoting or'movable element of the unit, whilezthe bodymember I5 is the stationary part. .T'heupper part of the body I5 is formed with outwardly curving ends 19 and 29 correspondingto the interiorly curved end walls H The curving end 29, as shown, extends beyond the vertical line or portion 20 of the body [5, which line forms a stop, When engaging the projection or nose l2, for limiting the pivotal movements of the head in one direction. The outwardly curving end I9 is continuous with an inwardly curving portion 2| in an end of the body and immediately therebelow. This curving portion 2| serves to limit the pivotal movement of the head 8 about the trunnion I! in a direction opposite to that which is limited by the nose I2.

It is believed clear without further illustration that the spring washer 30 may be symmetrical or irregular in shape, and that it need not have a hole 3| in the center, as shown. If the hole 3| is used, it may, of course, be symmetrical 'or any irregular shape that is justified. The word washer in this description and in the hereunto appended claims shall be understood to include these variations. The only essential characteristic of the Washer is that it be resilient and that it be disposed to resist tilting of the head 8.

The head 8 is provided with a cap or bonnet 22 that may be secured to and cover the entire area of the top of said head by screws or other means that pass through a flange 23, extending at right angles from the bonnet, which is a centrally raised portion and is hollowed as at 24, to a width substantially equal to the width or thicknes of the body l5. The flange 23 serves to hold the trunnion H in its bearings in the body l5, and the bonnet or cap is arranged to pass over the upper end of the body 15 during its pivoting movement.

The body 55 is provided with a bore 25 that extends diagonally therethrough from a threaded nipple 2t and through the curving end 29 at the top of the body IS. The nipple 26 may be employed for connecting to a conduit, not shown, for electrical wires, not shown, that are arranged to pass through said diagonal bore 25, through a portion of the slot 9 in the head 8, and through a cutout or aperture 2'! in the flange 23 of the bonnet 22. The body I is supported in any suitable manner and at any desirable height by a standard 28.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regardas the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departin from the spirit and scope of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire toavail myself of all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A support comprising a stationary body having a pivot member, a slotted head fitting over said body and provided with lateral bearing surfaces, the ends of said pivotmember being received on said bearing surfaces and means engaging the top of said pivot member to hold said bearing surfaces on the bottom of said pivot member.

2. A support comprising a body member having a pivot member, a slotted head fitting over the top of said body member and provided with lateral grooves having cylindrical surfaces in the bottoms thereof forming bearings, the ends of said pivot member extending into and-on said bearings, friction means between the ends of said pivot member and said grooves to maintain the head in any position of adjustment, and'means on said head substantially engaging one side of said pivot member to hold said cylindrical surfaces engaged with the other side of said pivot member.

3. A joint comprising a stationary body, a movable member, the upper portion of said stationary body being received in said movable member, a pivot on said stationary body, said movable member having'lateral grooves and cylindrical bearing surfaces for receiving the ends of said pivot, means in said grooves engaging the ends of said pivot to resist pivotal movement of aid movable member, and means to hold the cylindrical bearing surfaces of said movable member engaged with a surface of said pivot.

4. A hinge device including a fixed body member, and a movable member adapted to receive and hold an instrument, said movable member having a slot extending therethrou h for receiving the upper portion of said fixed body member and provided-with opposed grooves terminating at their bottoms in rounding bearing surfaces, said fixed body member provided with a trunnion extending at the ends thereof into said grooves and engaging said bearing surfaces to pivot said movable member, a plate secured to said movable member to hold same in engagement with said bearing surfaces, said plate having a chamber to receive a side or" the upper part of said fixed body member as said fixed body member is tiltably moved, and frictional means engaging the trunnion to resist pivotal movement thereof.

5. Means for supporting an instrument-carrying body comprising a fixed member provided with a trunnion, said body having a slot for receiving the upper end of said fixed member, and said slot provided with grooves terminating at the bottoms thereof in bearing surfaces for the ends of said trunnions, a plate secured to said body and engaging the ends of said trunnion at the surface thereof to hold the bearing surfaces of said body engaged with the bottom of said trunnion thereby pivotally to connect said body to said fixedmember, and said fixed member provided with a diagonal bore extending therethrough to receive conductor wires.

6. A support comprising a fixed body having a pivot, a head having a slot to receive the upper part of said body and provided with bearing surfaces to engage said pivot and pivotally mount said head, means to connect said head and said bearing surfaces with said pivot including a plate having a recess to receive a portion of the body as the head is pivoted about said pivot member, and dished washers engaging the ends of said pivot and the walls of the slot in said head to resist pivotal movement of said head.

'7. A device of the character referred to comprising a fixed member, and a movable member adapted to hold an instrument, said movable member having a slot extending therethrough for receiving a portion of said fixed member and provided with opposed grooves having cylindrical bottom bearing surfaces, said fixed member having a cylindrical recess concentric with said bottom bearing surfaces of the movable member, a trunnion in said cylindrical recess extending at the ends thereof into said grooves and engaging the cylindrical bearing surfaces thereof, means to secure said trunnion in the cylindrical recess of said fixed member, and a plate secured to said movable member to hold the bearing surfaces thereof in engagement with the ends of said.

trunnion.

8. A device of the character referred to comprising a fixed member and a movable member '5 adapted to hold an instrument, said movable member having an opening therethrough for receiving the upper end of said fixed member and provided with opposed grooves having cylindrical bearing surfaces, said fixed member having a cylindrical recess concentric with the bearing surfaces of said movable member, a trunnion in said cylindrical recess extending at the end thereof into said grooves and engaging the cylindrical bearing surfaces thereof, means to secure said trunnion in said recess, and a plate secured to said movable member to hold the bearing surfaces thereof engaging said trunnion, said fixed and movable members being provided with mutually co-operating means to limit the movability of said movable member.

9. A device of the character referred to, comprising a stationary body, a pivot member carried thereby, a head provided with opposed openended recesses forming bearings, said pivot member extending into said recesses and journaling in said bearings, and means securable to the head for engaging the upper side of said pivot memher to hold the pivot member in said head engaged with said bearings.

JAMES L. FOUCI-l. 

